Certifying Sustainability

The term “stakeholders” calls to mind a scene from a vampire movie, with angry villagers about to go after the monster that has been terrorizing them. At the National Sustainable Agriculture Stakeholders Dialogue, sharpened sticks were not in evidence, but several pointed opinions were expressed in presentations and discussions.

The conference, held Feb 29 in Washington, D.C., was organized by the Leonardo Academy and Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). About 120 attendees represented a wide range of commodity groups, processors, agribusiness interests, government agencies and environmental advocacy groups.

Floriculture and nursery interests were well represented, by OFA and ANLA, as well as representatives from production and distribution companies. Joyce Latimer from Virginia Tech, Jim Barrett from the University of Florida and myself were the floriculturists among a handful of academics.

The meeting opened with a presentation by Michael Arny, president of Leonardo Academy. He explained how the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) process works, emphasizing the need for openness, due process and consensus building among diverse interests. The “Draft Standards For Trial Use” that represents the starting point was developed by SCS, based on the VeriFlora certification program for cut flowers and potted plants. SCS provided start-up funding to Leonardo Academy, a member of ANSI, to coordinate the development of a final standard. A committee responsible for drafting the final standards will be formed in April.

The morning session featured presentations on issues and concerns related to the content and framework of the standards. Presenters included James Riva, who manages compliance audits for USDA; Jason Wadsworth, sustainability specialist for Wegmans Food Markets; Jean-Mari Peltier, president of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; Sharon “Boomer” Lauritsen, executive VP for food and agriculture of the Biotechnology Industry Organization; Bill Freese, of the Center for Food Safety; and John Foster, Sr. manager of organic integrity for Earthbound Farm.

While the idea of national standards seemed to have guarded support, critical comments dominated the discussion. The process itself was an issue; the draft standards were published prior to any stakeholder input. It remains to be seen how stakeholder input will be used to draft the final standards. Will producers, who will have to bear the cost, be adequately represented on the committee?

Organic Lite?

The relationship between “organic” and “sustainable” is an issue with several dimensions. Is “sustainability” going to be “organic lite” or “organic plus”? That is, will the standards allow practices that are not acceptable for organic production or will organic production be the goal? How far will the standards go to address issues that are not addressed by the National Organic Program, such as labor relations, food safety, packaging and energy use? Will a national standard for sustainable agriculture dilute the identity of the National Organic Program? Will consumers perceive a difference?

The most heated topic is genetic engineering. The draft standards prohibit the use of “Genetically Modified Organisms.” Many producers are unhappy with that stance, and the biotechnology industry predictably argued for technology-neutral standards. On the other hand, organic producers and environmental advocacy groups are strongly opposed and would likely have nothing to do with a standard that allowed genetically engineered crops.

Finally, potentially the biggest problem facing the committee will be drafting standards that will support measurable, verifiable, auditable assessments. At the same time, the standards have to be flexible enough to accommodate local needs and conditions. Will there be an opportunity for peer review of any certification program?

These topics and others were discussed during afternoon breakout sessions. I found my way to the table concerned with performance metrics. The discussion was candid and wide-ranging, but the need for performance metrics was mentioned repeatedly, as was the general lack of metrics in the proposed standard.

It’s way too early to say where all this will lead. The committee responsible for writing the final standard hasn’t even formed, and will have a couple of years’ work ahead of it. For floriculture, the big question will be, “How important is sustainability certification for our markets?” Obviously, it’s important for some producers or Florverde and VeriFlora wouldn’t exist. How many more producers want to be in the tent? Will the tent be big enough to accommodate them? Will it be worthwhile to pay the price of admission?

If your operation produces plugs or liners for wholesale growers, please take a few minutes to participate in Greenhouse Grower’s 2016 Young Plant Grower Survey. We know you are very busy and we value your time and input. This survey should only take a few minutes. Greenhouse Grower’s Young Plant Grower Survey has played a key role in building our Top 20 Young Plant Growers list over the years. The information helps us zero in on trends taking shape and the challenges you’re facing as young plant growers. If you have any questions about this survey or you are not the right contact for this at your operation, please email me at [email protected], or please forward the survey link to the appropriate person. We would like to wrap up this survey by July 25, so please take it soon! Thank you in advance for your participation. We value your opinion! » […]

If your operation produces plugs or liners for wholesale growers, please take a few minutes to participate in Greenhouse Grower’s 2016 Young Plant Grower Survey. We know you are very busy and we value your time and input. This survey should only take a few minutes. Greenhouse Grower’s Young Plant Grower Survey has played a key role in building our Top 20 Young Plant Growers list over the years. The information helps us zero in on trends taking shape and the challenges you’re facing as young plant growers. If you have any questions about this survey or you are not the right contact for this at your operation, please email me at [email protected], or please forward the survey link to the appropriate person. We would like to wrap up this survey by July 25, so please take it soon! Thank you in advance for your participation. We value your opinion! » […]

Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, Ohio, has a commitment to using production practices that are efficient and sustainable. The operation has been growing Orchids for nine years, and is entering its second full year with its current system, which entails three camera grades. “The camera grading — first at production into a 5-inch pot, then 12 weeks later and a final grade after the stem and buds have developed — is raising our overall quality,” says Wesley Van Wingerden, director of growing for Green Circle Growers. Greenhouse Grower visited the operation to take a tour of its facilities and learn more about its Orchid production. Read on for more details about the process. The first of the camera grades is incorporated into the transplant process, which involves placing the Orchids from a community tray into 5-inch pots. The plants are separated into three sizes with the smallest returning to the […]

The tenth largest cuttings farm in the world, Vivero Internacional was founded in 1991 and began exporting unrooted cuttings in 1993. Based in Tepoztlan, Morelos, just outside of Mexico City, Mexico, the operation opened with 2 hectares or 5 acres. With time and new customers, the farm has experienced rapid growth, now spanning 40 hectares or 99 acres, says Vivero’s Dennis Hitzigrath. “The first 10 years, production was doubling every season,” Hitzigrath says. “In the last three years, it’s been about 20%.” The independent operation grows 100 million cuttings annually for several breeders, serving the North American market. Hitzigrath says consolidation among breeders has brought more of a focus on Vivero Internacional from third-party breeders in recent years. This growing interest is spurring even more growth. “We are planning for a minimum growth of 20%,” Hitzigrath says. “We are adding more production space and hope to be needing more […]

Mike’s Backyard Nursery sits on a long, narrow, 5-acre property located in Perry, Ohio. There, customers can find a variety of flowering shrubs available, all in 2-quart pots, and all for sale for $5.97 each. Owner Mike McGroarty, a lifelong resident of Perry, says the town has a lot of plant nurseries, including 100 wholesale growers within a 10-mile radius of his house. That doesn’t discourage McGroarty, because he knows that while there are a lot of nurseries in his area, no one else is doing what he is doing. McGroarty has learned about plants — and marketing them to his audience — through decades of experience. He has never hesitated to pass along his knowledge to other growers looking to start their own backyard operations, and has created an entire program to educate aspiring growers. McGroarty Likes To Practice What He Preaches McGroarty’s operation serves as the laboratory for […]

As most growers know well, the federal government regulates all insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and other commercial chemicals used on agricultural crops. Therein lies the problem with use of chemicals on cannabis crops – so far, the feds want nothing to do with legalized marijuana. According to “Concern Grows Over Unregulated Pesticide Use On Cannabis,” a June 17 article on the National Public Radio (NPR) network by Agribusiness Reporter Luke Runyon, the lack of regulated chemicals for cannabis has left growers to experiment on their own. “In the absence of any direction the subject of pesticide use on the crop has just devolved to whatever people think is working or they think is appropriate,” said Colorado State University Entomologist Whitney Cranshaw in the NPR report. “Sometimes they’ve used some things that are appropriate, sometimes unsafe.” Denver officials held tens of thousands of marijuana plants earlier this year due to safety concerns, but […]

A researcher from North Carolina State University (NC State) has found that in the case of the flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum), all pollinators are not created equal. In fact, due to the flower’s unique reproductive structure, butterflies — and specifically, their wings — are the key to pollination. The flame azalea is commonly found in the Appalachian Mountains, ranging from as far north as New York to Georgia in the south. Like most azaleas, the flowers are large, and have an unusual structure: both the anther (male) and stigma (female) parts are very elongated and separated from one another. NC State biologist Mary Jane Epps was interested in how the azalea’s flower structure affected its pollination. “In order for a plant to reproduce, a pollinator — usually an insect — has to spread the pollen from the anther to the stigma,” Epps says. “In the case of the flame azalea, […]

The Horticultural Research Institute will grant $125,000 in financial support for four key projects as part of the Horticultural Industry Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative. The Initiative has three primary goals. First, to convene a task force to develop a bee and pollinator stewardship program, including creation of best management practices for plant production. Second, to identify and fund research that will help answer key science questions and fill gaps needed to design and refine the stewardship program. Third, to seek to positively position the horticultural community and its customers by collaborating with other compatible groups interested in augmenting pollinator habitat and protection.

If you are pursuing a floriculture research project, now is the time to apply for funding through the American Floral Endowment. Research pre-proposal applications for 2015-2016 funding are due to AFE by June 1, 2015.